5 MIN READ
Merriam-Webster defines a bean counter as “a person who helps to run a business and who only cares about money,” but we know our Bean Counters here at FABC to be so much more than that. Sure, they care about money (they are bookkeepers after all), but that isn't their main priority—the success of their clients is. Their goal is to provide top-notch bookkeeping services that help every business perform at its best.
Many people have come to know (and love!) our adorable bean as the face of FABC, but behind the bean, there’s a dedicated foursome that makes the wheels turn day in and day out. These Bean Counters represent some of the best the bookkeeping biz has to offer.
Are you ready to meet the team behind the books?
Meet Karley Doty, aka “kid”ney bean
Originally an Iowa girl, Karley has called Montana home for the last 12 years. While she’s the youngest member of the Bean Team, Karley plays big sister at home, where she is the oldest of five kids. If you were to meet her on the street, chances are she’ll have a coffee in hand and a smile on her face.
Q) If you were a bean, what bean would you be, and why?
Karley: I would be be a “Kid”ney bean. I am the youngest of the group (but don’t let my age fool ya).
Q) What’s one bookkeeping tip worth sharing?
Karley: Keep detailed notes. There is no guarantee that you will remember why you did something a certain way a year from now, or even six months down the road.
Q) What’s your favorite thing about being a Bean Counter?
Karley: Getting to see people grow! I love encouraging people as they grow their business.
Q) What’s a common misconception about bookkeeping?
Karley: Bookkeeping isn’t really that important. Though it can seem time-consuming (because it is!), keeping accurate books is HUGE. At the end you can clearly look back and see where you started and where you are now!
Q) Any words to live by?
Karley: “There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind.” —C.S. Lewis
Q) In three words, how would you describe yourself?
Karley: Kind, Compassionate, Faithful
Q) What do you like to do when you’re not counting beans?
Karley: When I’m not bean counting, I love to spend time with my family and friends.
Q) Favorite quote?
Karley: “Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow. It empties today of its strength.” —Corrie ten Boom
Q) Favorite bean (to eat!)?
Karley: My favorite bean would have to be a coffee bean. I don’t have an addiction…because that would be unhealthy. ;)
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Meet Dan Keslin, aka coffee bean
After spending his early years in his birth state of Texas, Dan moved to New Hampshire at age 10, where he was raised on a horse farm. He carried his love of sports into adulthood, with hobbies that include mountain biking, rafting, hunting, and adventuring with his pup, Winni.
Q) If you were a bean, what bean would you be, and why?
Dan: Coffee bean because that is the bean that has become a daily habit—the caffeine gets me going!
Q) What’s one bookkeeping tip worth sharing?
Dan: Check and double check. The goal here is to provide an accurate, reliable deliverable to the client. It never hurts to go back and do a thorough review.
Q) What’s your favorite thing about being a Bean Counter?
Dan: Getting to talk with and work directly with clients. I get to see the ins and outs of their business. Having the ability to answer questions and help clients understand accounting principles is very rewarding.
Q) What’s a common misconception about bookkeeping?
Dan: That we all sit in an office and just crunch numbers all day wearing thick glasses. Maybe that’s just a stereotype though.
Q) Any words to live by?
Dan: You didn’t wake up today to be mediocre. Always be your best self!
Q) In three words, how would you describe yourself?
Dan: Fast, Logical, Thinker
Q) What do you like to do when you’re not counting beans?
Dan: Mountain bike! As I’m writing this, I’m in Jackson, WY, one of my favorite bike destinations, to meet up with some longtime friends for a weekend of trails and tales.
Q) Favorite quote?
Dan: “Some people want it to happen. Some wish it would happen. Others make it happen.” —Michael Jordan
Q) Favorite bean (to eat!)?
Dan: I’ve explored cooking with heirloom bean varieties and trying to make authentic recipes. So far my favorite has been the anasazi bean. But that changes almost every time I try a new variety!
Meet Rhonda Moore, aka butter bean
Rhonda describes herself as a “southern girl” who first dipped her toe in the world of bookkeeping when managing finances for a program that offered classes and sports to homeschooled children (fun fact: she homeschooled her three sons!). As FABC’s onboarding specialist, Rhonda gets to use her southern charm daily as she interacts with and helps onboard new clients.
Q) If you were a bean, what bean would you be, and why?
Rhonda: A butter bean...I am from the south and you know we love our BUTTER!
Q) What’s one bookkeeping tip worth sharing?
Rhonda: Keep it simple. It is tempting to want to use vendors as a line item on a Profit and Loss (e.g. EMoney, Wealthbox, PieTechnology, Money Guide Pro). Instead, use one line item for these—like professional technology. Too many line items cause posting errors.
Q) What’s your favorite thing about being a Bean Counter?
Rhonda: I love working with new clients. It is very rewarding to have a client move from a shoebox of receipts to feeling empowered to keep their own books or to hire the Bean Team to do monthly bookkeeping.
Q) What’s a common misconception about bookkeeping?
Rhonda: That keeping books is just for filing taxes. I had an accounting teacher who emphasized the point that your books are the story or history of your company. Your books tell you where your money goes and how long your clients have stayed with you, and even how they've grown. They show how you, as a business owner, have matured, and how your business has evolved (like growing from a start-up into a thriving company that supports you and your family).
Q) Any words to live by?
Rhonda: Own it. If you make a mistake, own it. It is much easier to fix a problem if you own the fact that you caused the problem.
Q) In three words, how would you describe yourself?
Rhonda: Methodical, Caring, Honest
Q) What do you like to do when you’re not counting beans?
Rhonda: Listen to a good book from Audible and hang out with my dog Biscuit.
Q) Favorite quote?
Rhonda: “To give real service you must add something which cannot be bought or measured with money, and that is sincerity and integrity.” —Douglas Adams
Q) Favorite bean (to eat!)?
Rhonda: Hmm...lima beans with lots of BUTTER!
Meet Hayley Stewart, aka jumping bean
Our head Bean Counter has a taste for adventure and is currently counting beans (and kilts) in Scotland! Luckily, the rest of the Bean Team has a few words to say about Hayley. Three words, to be exact. Adventuresome, fun, dedicated—this is how the rest of the Bean Team describes Hayley, who is a powerhouse leader known for how fast she’s able to finish projects.
And of course, our Bean Team introductions wouldn’t be complete without mentioning Alan Moore and Michael Kitces. This dynamic duo founded FABC and made it what it is today.
So there you have it! That’s the Bean Team in a nutshell—ahem, in a bean pod.
Click here to contact the Bean Team!